The reasons that I have come to a fruitarian lifestyle go beyond just health. It also has a lot to do with moral values, and the fact that I believe in a natural way of living. To me, the health aspect of it really just tends to be the result of natural living. If you live naturally, you will probably be a lot healthier, and I think that's pretty much common sense.

Unfortunately, it seems that my ideals are much misunderstood in our modern and oh-so chemically "enhanced" society. I'm just plain "weird" or "eccentric", even, for many of the values I hold dear.

This came to me because of a discussion on a message board regarding animal testing. And, as I was typing out my very passionate reply (obviously being against it) I realized that no one there would probably agree with where I come from in regards to not toying with nature to the point that we do. I feel that I am constantly repeating myself, when I try to point out that we as a human race have caused so much destruction to our world and to OURSELVES by persistently defying natural laws. It seems that we try to BE the law, instead, and I just think this is a really scary thing!

Many rawists understand that much of what modern science performs animal testing for, can be treated or even prevented through a natural lifestyle. I have heard so many success stories of diabetics and other chronically ill patients who have turned their lives around just by avoiding all the crap! Which is a large reason as to why I think that animal testing is downright cruel and unnecessary. A lot of the health issues we face in our world today are a result of our own lifestyles or our relatives lifestyles, etc. Obviously, this doesn't go for all things, but it seems that people keep running to and relying on pharmaceuticals to have a quick fix while they continue to lead toxic lives, and I just can't stomach it.

I understand that it isn't EASY to live a healthy life in the world today. Of course, it's much easier to be ignorant to the choices we make and how those choices affect our vitality. It was easy (but definitely not cheap) for me to smoke three packs of cigarettes a day at one point in my life. It was easy for me to chug soda after soda, scarf down pizza, and sit on my butt all day.

It was easy alright, until I found myself at the doctor constantly sick with chronic sinusitis, swollen extremities, pains of various sorts, constant digestive issues, etc. And of course, doctor after doctor would recommend a pill or something, but never would they tell me to change my lifestyle. I figured this out on my own.

At any rate, people tend to make excuse after excuse for keeping their filthy, self-destructive habits...but then when it catches up with them, they are devastated and want to save themselves at the very last minute.

Of course, I could fall ill myself, despite my taking care of myself. But you know what? At least then I will have known that I did everything I could, and it just be what nature had intended for me.

My point is, why do animals have to sacrifice their lives at our expense and especially for our own self-destructive mistakes?

On another note, I gotta say, it always makes me laugh, the attitudes of a lot of people that surround me whom have some icky habits of their own. A friend of mine and myself went frisbee golfing the other day and got on the topic of health, and I always give her hell about her smoking, because well, I'm her friend, and I care about her life. [and on a side note: Some might think it's better to hold your tongue and keep your opinion to yourself... but I think if you care about someone and you see them hurting themselves, it's your duty as a loved one to voice your concern for them...if you don't, afterall, what kind of friend are you? ] She made the classic comments like: "well, everything gives you cancer anyway!"

Oh boy. And IF she happened to get cancer, I highly doubt her attitude would be the same, and she'd probably regret every cigarette she ever smoked. Right?

"everything gives you cancer anyway!" = a statement that people make in efforts to make an excuse for their bad habit, so that they can lie to themselves a little to pretend that they don't really care. it's just justifying the behavior, and it isn't at all a logical school of thought.

She then says to me, another thing that a lot of other people often bring up when they are trying to justify their unhealthy habits, "Well I know of someone who got lung cancer who never smoked a cigarette in their life".

So? The rare occasion that a person gets lung cancer having never smoked in their life, validates literally BEGGING for lung cancer by chain smoking? This just makes no sense what-so-ever to me. It's such a black and white way of thinking, and it's again, just another way of the person trying to justify their habit.

I also pointed out to her that many other factors play into these diseases than just the obvious things like smoking. The hundreds of other products you consume, for one thing, also have an affect on your health, aside from sleep patterns, exercise, sunlight, a positive outlook on life, etc.

Said person who gets lung cancer without having ever smoked, may have also worked at a factory where the air is filled with toxins... or lived near a manufacturing company, etc.

And these are things that I do, and will always continue to also pay attention to in my life. I would never in a million years work in a facility where just breathing the very air might kill me. I will never choose to LIVE somewhere that isn't very sustainable for human life. These are all part of the choices we make everyday, and what we decide on can have a big impact on our fate.

I grow more and more frustrated everyday as I hear all my loved ones make up excuse after excuse for their self-destructive tendencies.... and then looking at ME like I'm the crazy one!

*sigh*

Like I said before, I understand that making healthy choices isn't always easy. It took me a few tries to finally quit smoking... and even longer to quit caffeine. I still miss a lot of things that I used to eat as a kid, and I probably always kind of will. But I definitely don't miss the impact that they had on my health, and the even bigger impact that they probably would have had if I would have continued it.

I know I'm not perfect, and no one is, but what I can't understand is not even being interested in TRYING to overcome your bad habits and take care of yourself. If you slip up sometimes and have a burger, or a coffee, I don't think you're a horrible person... but I cannot understand this overall COMPLETE lack of ambition to even CARE about what you are doing to your body. Yes?

Anyway!

Sorry for the lengthy rant, but it was something that I had to get out of my system, and I felt that this was the best place for that. I know that anyone who reads my blog who is interested in raw foods, will probably at least somewhat see where I'm coming from. And I hope that I'm right about that :)

In other news: it's Friday! and in just two days I'll be on my way to the Sunshine State! Thank god, because it's only 43 degrees out here today. When I scheduled the trip, I wondered if going in May would have much purpose, thinking that it would already be so nice out here by then... so I'm glad that I still get to feel like I'm getting away from the crappy weather!

I am still nervous about what food will be like out there, so I brought some non-perishable raw food bars and raw cashews just in case. I'm hoping they won't be necessary since my stomach isn't very fond of nuts, but it's better than eating some of the cheap, processed foods that I know they have there.

Woo hoo!

In terms of raw food, I'm concocting a "dressing" tonight for some zucchini noodles made of tomato, half an avocado, lemon juice, and spinach. I hope it turns out... I don't really know how it will all go together, but it seemed like it would be yummy. Hopefully it is!

Well, I won't be back until May 15th, so no blog updates for awhile. Hope everyone has a happy and healthy week!

xoxox